| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| trobrianders |
Posted - 06/19/2013 : 03:04:59
TV shows and the like. Just started watching The Returned (Les Revenants), a French Twin Peaksy drama series about a bunch of coach crash victims who return from the dead to their Alpine town. Neither the victims nor the townsfolk know why this has happened. The drama is played completely straight, I think that's why it's so gripping. Two episodes in so far. Denis you been watching?
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Ed is the hoo hoo |
| 35 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| pot |
Posted - 08/10/2022 : 23:12:23
I didn't know Vince Gilligan had been a (co-)producer on The X-Files - I kind of stopped watching that series after the first season really - mostly because I got distracted by the student nightlife of Manchester. I also think it went a bit downhill after S1 and I lost the plot there too after missing a few episodes.
The cryptic unfolding of plot in BSC was clever sometimes, other times I found myself sitting there not so much bothered about what was going on but instead wondering when we were going to get to the conclusion of the previous cliffhanger scene - and in many ways I think this often distracted me from the prevailing linearity of the story arc. I guess we could be here all day debating that particular point but as far as I could see BCS was jumping back and forward so much I just kind of got lost a bit, and it was only until about season 4 I think we I finally worked out that the opening B&W scenes were not occuring in the time before BCS but in fact after BB! Because Jimmy was a nobody before he became a lawyer, and the opening scenes depicted him as a nobody with a shitty job, therefore.. I suspect this was done on purpose to trick the audience, or it was done in such a way that maybe only the more focused audience would work it out I don't know..
We can argue over the semantics of what art or "craft" is till the cows come home - but an aspect of artistic expression can often be to decieve the audience in some way - to confuse and inspire some new ways to look at things?
Anyway word on the street is Gilligan's next project is going to lean more back towards the paranormal again I'm hearing? I think some new direction is a good idea since I think he's milked the whole BB franchise enough for now - and some more paranormal TV would be welcome since True Blood finished some nearly ten years ago now - I know there has been paranormal stuff, vampires and that but I find a lot of it quite bland. I think he should team up with Alan Ball - we don't seem to be getting much from Mr Ball these days and I've been a fan of pretty up everything he's done so far, including his last series Here And Now which sadly didn't get commissioned for a second series - I don't know why because Ball is considered one of the most innovative producers these days - some of his last series did seem to challenge modern woke ideologies though so many he got cancelled by a rainbow coloured unicorn TV exec? |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 08/10/2022 : 16:21:17
Should films and television, a visual medium, not have shots composed with care and attention to detail? Now I'm even more confused!
Fair point about how cryptic Saul is. The show's prime MO, which really only hit me recently, is to leave viewers totally in the dark for a good third of the entire episode, only to have Saul's (or Gus or Mike's) plan gradually reveal itself. I don't consider this "artsy" so much as crafty storytelling. Vince Gilligan has said he learned from Chris Carter on the X-Files to fashion stories in a way where "the audience NEEDS to know what will happen next."
I love it, but I could also imagine some may find it frustrating, especially when that trick has been deployed many times over and we're all kind of in on the tactic. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/10/2022 : 10:38:51
Yeah camera angles and that - attention to fine detail like composition. It can be both art and plot simultaneously. I consider the cryptic nature of the plot development also part of the art. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 08/10/2022 : 08:30:35
quote:
Originally posted by pot
How can you say this isn't more art than plot?
Because the show is basically all plot. Is this that me and you have different definitions of "art" or "arty"? I genuinely have no idea what you're talking about. Vince Gilligan and co., for the most part, are storytellers and write extremely plot heavy television.
Are you just talking about like, camera angles? Because it's in black and white? That isn't exactly "arty", it's just a very clear, direct storytelling device, so the viewer is situated in the time period.
I seriously don't understand. The last few episodes have been plots. Stories. And every moment in every episode has been another step in those stories developing. There's been no artsy filler or what have you.
But again, perhaps I'm not getting your meaning. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/09/2022 : 13:22:47
I thought "the Kim scene" was a bit cringe - I'd have just cut that scene out or edited it heavily or just shot the scene different alogether |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 08/09/2022 : 06:50:07
Did they say the same thing about Sopranos? I didn’t get that impression either.
But yes, I can appreciate the artistic beauty of Saul. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/09/2022 : 04:53:45
Oh come on, it's totally art house cinematography wank fest material, Maybe I'm just used to watching more trash TV than you guys?
Look! The Internets agrees with me
https://www.wsj.com/articles/better-call-saul-refined-television-11659720932 |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 08/09/2022 : 04:11:24
It just seems like very round about storytelling, I don’t know about “art” though |
| pot |
Posted - 08/09/2022 : 03:34:09
How can you say this isn't more art than plot? Just caught the last episode - really enjoyed it and even though it jumps around like a frog in a tumble drier I still got the gist - he's a con man and a total scumbag. Copy that. Everything these guys do is like a cryptic puzzle - only reason I can think of that they chose to produce the show this way is for the art. BB was quite arty, or just well shot (to say it's art might be slightly hyperbole there). This isn't necessarily a negative critique either I do like good arthouse films with completely unfathomable plots - you can just forget about plot and focus on the individual scenes and gain a more in-depth insight into the characters etc. This is how I kind of see BCS; or what it sort of became in the last season anyway. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 08/06/2022 : 21:41:05
I don't see it being "an art movie" at all. It's very plot driven and the storytelling is generally clear and direct. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 13:06:29
I mean it's arty - like an art movie but it's a TV series (with the same aspect ratio as a film) that's all - not saying there's anything wrong with that, just didn't understand a lot of the subtelties that were no doubt there in some scenes because it's a while since I watched many of the previous scenes they were refering to.
I also have an aversion to non-linear plot progression and flash back scenes in general. Kubrick had exactly the right idea there. I'm basically a linear plot development Nazi. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 12:48:11
I agree that the cartel stuff feels like it should have been a totally separate show. I just see the show as a character study about Jimmy, and I love character studies. This latest episode was one of the harder hitting points about that character study, so I didn't find it all over the place. I found it be very laser focused in one place.
I sincerely don't know what you mean by "film art", genuinely. Not being argumentative, I just don't understand what you're saying. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 10:36:29
quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
quote:
Originally posted by pot
It was all over the place.
It wasn't though...It was making a point about Jimmy, and very focused on that point. All of the scenes were about that.
Nah seriously man, I was starting to wonder if I watching an episode of Quantum Leap or The Twilight Zone.
I'd already figured out that the character of JImmy was a bit of a twat?
I'm not saying I didn't like it but I've always felt watching this spin-off series: What's the point in it? What's it adding to the BB universe? What is it about lawyers or Mexican Cartels?
Just feels like a bit of a Breaking Bad wank-fest, not that I'm saying I don't appreciate that element but it just seems as a show it lacks it own identity a bit and it's just become film art. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 10:09:30
quote:
Originally posted by pot
It was all over the place.
It wasn't though...It was making a point about Jimmy, and very focused on that point. All of the scenes were about that. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 03:26:27
Aparently Better Call Saul are facing a lawsuit for trademark infringement from some organisation called Liberty Tax - for the show's fictional portrayal of the criminal business Sweet Liberty Tax Services in ep 2 of this season.
No doubt this is probably a ploy to raise the profile of their company and increase their customer base - which ironically is akin to some of the dirty tricks Jimmy McGill would use. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 02:58:22
Yeah, we could do with another season about Jimmy's life post Breaking Bad.
I predict another spin-off series with Pinkman, Badger and Skinny Pete - at least that's what I'm hoping for.
(Mind you Pinkman's supposed to be in Alaska now - so not sure how this would work - it's TV though so anything is possible) |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 08/04/2022 : 02:30:22
I enjoyed that episode a lot. Sad that we are near the end. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/03/2022 : 23:39:11
It was all over the place. I like the black and white stuff though I think it deserves a whole season or series to itself. Other than that I have no idea what the plot is anymore or really care that much at this stage because there's only one more episode to go. I think Slippy Jim will die at the end, which is fine because he isn't really a very nice person it seems. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 08/03/2022 : 16:49:12
It was extremely good. |
| pot |
Posted - 08/02/2022 : 15:36:03
This weeks Better Call Saul episode is titled "Breaking Bad". Breaking Bad also had an episode (s2e8) called "Better Call Saul". |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/30/2022 : 11:51:16
Has anybody seen Lynch/Oz yet? |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/26/2022 : 17:34:23
Oh so sorry...Thought you were watching the new season. I don't normally like to poopoo on a show someone's just watched.
Season 1 is really good, yes... |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/26/2022 : 01:17:58
Haven’t made it that far yet |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/25/2022 : 21:45:52
Stopped watching Westworld about four or five episodes into season 2... |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/25/2022 : 12:27:04
They HBO redoing of Westworld is terrific. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/23/2022 : 20:49:58
Saw Nope. Very disappointing. My fiance loved it though. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/23/2022 : 16:21:34
That actually makes me want to watch it. Wow!!
The second episode of The Rehearsal is incredible. My goodness. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/23/2022 : 15:31:49
Yes indeed the owl is a big, big deal in The Staircase. We were picking our jaws up off the floor the first time it makes an appearance. Loved it. Second best owl-related TV show I would guess. I can say more if you want, but yes, short answer, lots of owl in the HBO series of The Staircase.
That's so funny about the Rehearsal. We can't wait for the second episode. It would be great to see you on an episode Trouble! |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/23/2022 : 14:13:30
Ok, so did they go into the owl thing?? Because the Netflix documentary left it out and just made it a little youtube deleted scene. Which is insane because it's extremely likely it's the god damn answer to what happened. How could they leave it out?
I saw the owl in the trailer so I'm extremely curious what the show said about it.
As for The Rehearsal. I work with Tricia at my job as a background actor. I've talked to her many times and just saw her last week. She is exactly like in the show and I was just laughing and in disbelief the entire episode. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/22/2022 : 07:01:35
quote:
Originally posted by Troubles A Foot
I know what to say about it. I know Tricia, the woman from it. I was in shock the entire episode.
Wow that's interesting, would love to hear more.
Can't wait for the second episode.
And finished The Staircase. I would give it two thumbs up, but I wouldn't say I loved it. It keeps you guessing and has some genuinely shocking moments, but when 8 episodes seems too long you know they are doing something wrong. Contrast that with Twin Peaks which was about a billion episodes too short. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/19/2022 : 07:25:22
I know what to say about it. I know Tricia, the woman from it. I was in shock the entire episode. |
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/19/2022 : 01:13:02
I really liked the soundtrack too. "Why are we listening to this?" "Because I like Bruce Honsby."
Inland Empire in the theatre must have been fun.
And the first episode of The Rehearsal is out, and wow.... don't even know what to say about it. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/18/2022 : 15:59:46
I did not find it challenging. I simply hated the film. I was not challenged by it.
Movies watched in the past few months:
Ghost World (2001) (rewatch)
Perfect Strangers (1984)
First Blood (1982)
Morbius (2022)
Repo Man (1984)
Desperate (1947)
Top Gun (1986)
Trancers (1984)
Easy to Love (1934)
His Girl Friday (1940)
Miami Connection (1987)
In theater:
Inland Empire (2006)
Dawn of the Dead (1978, 3D)
Tenebre (1982)
X
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Fourth of July
|
| Bedbug |
Posted - 07/18/2022 : 11:02:05
I think most people hated that movie. It’s challenging.
Staircase is a blast. We’re a few episodes in and have no idea where it could go. |
| Troubles A Foot |
Posted - 07/16/2022 : 22:28:53
Oh I hated that movie.......
The Staircase is so weird. I find the recent trend of IMMEDIATELY turning real life stories into campy TV shows to be kind of icky and strange and grotesque and sort of funny/macabre...there's so much of that lately. I did watch the documentary about this story, which was pretty interesting, but it left out a huge huge huge important thing (THE ANSWER TO WHAT HAPPENED!!!) that I guess I won't say in case that spoils something for you, Bedbug. Post when you're done though because I have a question about the show. |
